The well performed New South Wales trained three year old Dark Dream has secured favouritism for the 2018 Queensland Derby with a dominant win in the Group 3 $125,000 Mitty’s Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben today.

Dark Dream put the writing on the wall last start when second in the Group 3 $125,000 East Coast Car Rentals Gunsynd Classic (1630m) at Doomben on April 28 and looked even better today with a runaway four lengths win.

The Kerry Parker trained Dark Dream ($2.45 favourite) sent the punters home happy when he beat Higher Ground ($4.60) and California Turbo (10) who was doing his best work over the final stages.

Dark Dream is now the $3.50 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Group 1 $600,000 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on June 9 and Rough Habit Plate winning jockey Tim Clark can’t see any of the other three year olds beating him.

“How are they going to beat him in the Derby off that?” Clark told Sky Racing.

“My manager has done a great job to get me on this horse. That was a dominant win and he hasn’t put it all together yet.

“He’s got a fair bit to learn but the talent is there.

“Once I got passed the 600m I let him rip and he put them away within a couple of strides and wasn’t stopping on the line – he’s a true strayer and has pulled up like he hasn’t gone around.

“This caps off what’s been a remarkable day.”

Clark was still on a high after kicking home the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained English to win the Group 1 $700,000 Kirin Doomben 10,000 (1200m) forty minutes earlier as well as winning the Listed $100,000 Suez Queensland Day Stakes (1350m) on Paul Perry’s Perast.

About The Author

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.

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